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KIE-Downtown Rotary announces Ethics Award winner

April 02, 2012

The Kegley Institute of Ethics at California State University, Bakersfield and Downtown Rotary of Bakersfield are pleased to announce Colleen McGauley as the recipient of the first annual KIE-Downtown Rotary Community Ethics Award. McGauley is Executive Director of Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Kern County.

The award honors community members who exemplify ethical values either over a lifetime or in a specific situation during the previous year.

“These are people who, day by day, reveal their character in their actions, people who truly stand out as consistently doing the right thing, even when no one is looking," said Christopher Meyers, director of the Kegley Institute of Ethics at CSUB.

The selection committee voted unanimously to choose McGauley for her longtime role in giving a voice to abused children in Kern County. She was a member of the first class of volunteers when CASA was established in Kern County in 1994. She joined the staff in 1996 and became the executive director in 2001. CASA volunteers advocate for children who are dependents of the court, many of whom live in foster homes. Under McGauley’s leadership, CASA has doubled the number of volunteers and children served annually.

Jarrod McNaughton, a CASA board member and member of the Community Ethics Award nominating committee, said McGauley is one of the most passionate and ethical people he knows.

“Over a decade ago, Colleen was my case manager when I was a CASA volunteer. It is such a joy to see that her mission for what she does hasn't changed a bit. Today, Colleen is recognized as one of the powerhouse nonprofit executives, always willing to go the extra distance to be sure the children of Kern County are never forgotten. She is the perfect choice for this year's ethics award,” McNaughton said.

The Community Ethics Award is also sponsored by local accounting firm Barbich, Hooper, King, Dill, & Hoffman, along with Robert Tafoya and Sandra Serrano.

McGauley will be honored during the 26th Anniversary Charles W. Kegley Memorial Lecture presented at 7 p.m. in the Doré Theatre by the Kegley Institute of Ethics featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning business journalist James B. Stewart on “The Brink: The Causes and Ethical Implications of the Great Recession.” The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Kegley Institute of Ethics at 661-654-3149 or www.csub.edu/kie.